Fairy Bower Precinct JULY 2017 NEWSLETTER Email: [email protected] www.fairybowerprecinct.info email: [email protected] NEXT FAIRY BOWER COMMUNITY FORUM MEETING: 5TH JULY > Wednesday 5th July 2017, 7pm, St. Patricks College. The July Meeting will include:- ¨ Sea Life Sanctuary Update ¨ Little Manly reserve plan update ¨ Soft plastics - do we eliminate or recycle? ¨ General Business overseeing the project from Council and Clive Calder (Director of the North head Foundry) to determine the installation requirements and process. The new Oceanides! Here the molten metal is being poured into the moulds at the North Head foundry last Tuesday night. The glowing crucible contains metal at For durability we are planning to around 900 degrees Celsius. The moulds in the moulding box are preheated and refasten the statues into the rock surrounded by gravel to give them strength. The statues are moulded in sections to with stainless steel rods. This control shrinkage and ensure all parts are accurately reproduced. mounting is just not for holding the statures up in the sunlight, but is Welcome to All Fairy Bower Residents designed to resist the sea in extreme whether events - like we had in May 2016. NEWS Fairy Bower Pool The implementation of this project by Council continues to Oceanides Fabrication Now Underway slip, but the good news is it does still appear to be a current This iconic artwork is to be restored to its place beside our project. After cancelling the awarding of the tender for the Fairy Bower Pool. Currently, the physical facsimile bottom works, Council commissioned a report on the pool recreation of Oceanides (or the Sea Nymphs) sculpture is structure. well advanced. Following a previous phone conversation I received an As everyone will recall, our fund-raising Committee raised email from Council staff member Jeremy Smith on the around $55,000, and so far we have provided $40,000 of afternoon of the 7th June (just prior to our last precinct this to Council (with Council supplying a similar amount). meeting). It broadly outlined the works proposed. The North Head Foundry has since been engaged and as at Tuesday last, casting of the new work is now complete. Over We went through this at the meeting and I subsequently the next month all the component pieces will be assembled drafted a detailed positive reply two days later, including into the familiar shapes we all know so well. attention to the heritage status of the pool (its on the Register Of The National Estate) and noting that the The completed sculpture is currently expected to be ready proposed works need to be planned and assessed for installation at the end of July. I am currently working with cognicent of this - in terms of retaining as much as possible Michael Hedger (Manly Art Gallery Director) who is of the original 1929 structure. (only the lower 60% had issues), reducing the scope of works to just re-patching the bottom seems rather minimalist and less than appears necessary. It now seems the bottom works have gone from one extreme to the other. I have asked again for a copy of the report and for a meeting at the pool, when it is is drained for cleaning, to go through and minute an agreed scope of works. So we will see what happens. Relief Manly Ferry Lady Northcott to be retired On the 25th August 1974 a serious fire on the Manly Ferry (Steam Ship) South Steyne lead to the State Government modifying the design of two inner harbour ferries then under construction by Carrington Slipways at Tomago. The modifications included raising the height of the bows at The M.V. Lady Northcott at Manly moored at the Jetcat each end and adding openings in the upper deck, to allow Wharf on Thursday 26th July 2012. Lady Northcott was use of passenger gangways to both the main and reportedly relieving the larger M.V. Collaroy. The irony was promenade decks. M.V. Lady Wakehust entered service that previously this morning off-peak relief run would have first in October 1974 followed by M.V. Lady Northcott on been done by a specially-run Jetcat service. However the 30th January 1975. Sydney Ferries Jetcat service was discontinued on 31st December 2008, and following this decision the Lady The Lady Wakehurst and Lady Northcott were Northcott was returned to a Manly relief role. (John Cowper) subsequently used as Manly Ferries for many years serving as both relief ships and regular ships in the timetable when Additionally I added new issues that the pump operation (or the Baragoola and the North Head were the main ferries design) appears to need review, and in the future the operating on the run in the 1970s and early 80s. cleaning chemical regime will need attention. Particularly one of the Ladies was always required as a I received a subsequent reply on the 23rd June somewhat regular ship from the re-commencement of the 3-boat Manly addressing concerns about the works methods, but opening timetable on 9th January 1978, until the arrival of the M.V. two new issues; firstly the bottom repair/replacement works Freshwater on 18 December 1982 and finally the M.V. being reduced to removal of loose sections and applying Queenscliff on 9th July 1983. new mortar; secondly a suggestion from staff that the current new pump can now only operate 4 hours per day - Somewhat controversially, the M.V. Lady Wakehurst was i.e. either side of high tide. sold by Sydney Ferries in 1997. While changing the whole bottom to a new concrete slab In September 2015 the State Government ordered 6 new was probably overkill as regards the works actually required harbour catamaran ferries from Incat in Tasmania for $52 million. The 6 vessels are to replace existing vessels rather than expand the State owned ferry fleet. (Expansion would put an end to the current costly charter of private ferries for Sydney Ferries services.) The six vessels planned to be withdrawn are the two remaining Lady class ferries - Lady Northcott and Lady Herron - and the four Supercat vessels (which reportedly have just been re-engined). The major issue is that the Lady Northcott (815) and Lady Herron (514) have much higher passenger carrying capacity than the new Heritage class catamaran vessels (400). The Lady class are currently mainly used for the Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo run, which has very high passenger loadings. Despite its age Lady Northcott was extremely well The Oceanides pour at the foundry last Tuesday maintained and always presented well. However it was evening was well attended, with the sculptor Helen Leete, recently withdrawn, ostensibly for engine repairs, but foundary director Clive Calder, fund-raising committee despite reports of being repaired it is now not expected to members (with Candy Bingham and myself), and financial return to service. The reason given for its withdrawal is that contributors, including those that purchased the miniatures. spare parts for its main engines are now unobtainable and A selection of the crowd present is shown. are having to be specially made. PAGE 2 FAIRY BOWER NEWSLETTER The vessel is reportedly being put up for sale with a price of $150,000. It should be noted the decisions on the vessel Lady Northcott early views withdrawals are being made by Transport for NSW, not the contracted operator (franchisee) Harbour City Ferries. The potential concern for Manly Ferry passengers is firstly the withdrawal of the Lady Northcott means the loss of a swell-capable relief Manly Ferry, and secondly the withdrawal of the two Lady class vessels leaves the M.V. Freshwater as the oldest vessel in the Sydney Ferries fleet. Harbour City Ferry sources report all four large Manly Ferries are currently in good condition and there are no plans to replace them. However they are costly to maintain (about $1 million per year each). Thus our Manly community will need to remain vigilant to Above: M.V. Lady Northcott approaches Manly wharf on ensure these iconic Manly vessels are not swept away and 22nd February 1979 (Xaragma) Below: M.V. North Head replaced by smaller cheaper catamarans. Our Manly approaching Circular Quay wharf 3 with Lady Northcott Summer tourist traffic depends on all four of these large behind on Middle Harbour run circa 1978. (Pete Reid) ships. Bottom: Lady Northcott at Circular Quay Wharf 3 in February 1991 (Geoff Eastwood) Little Manly Reserve Since the Cumberland plan of 1948, the land behind Little Manly Beach has been marked as a reserve. Inconveniently much of this land was built on between the 1870s and the 1930s. However since the 1960s Manly Council has been steadily purchasing all the blocks behind the beach - between 32 - 42 Stuart Street. The acquisition pace is not fast and the sites have been acquired in an average rate one every 20 - 25 years. Currently there are only buildings remaining on three blocks - number 34, number 38 and number 40. Number 34 is leased but is heritage listed and eventually will be the only building to remain. Number 40 is being leased to pay out its loan faster, with the medium term plan to demolish it and add this land to the park. Council currently owns all blocks excepting number 40. Due to the redevelopment of number 40 into a new dwelling, it is accepted this property will not be acquired by Council anytime soon. However ultimately this block will effectively divide the park. The administrator has had numerous meetings with members of the community group behind the park. At the Council meeting held at Manly last Tuesday evening the Administrator moved a minute to build a linking timber walkway past number 40 and to put the buildings at number 34 and 40 to better use.